The Digital Life Certificate or Jeevan Pramaan is one of the pioneering initiatives of the Government of India aimed at making pension verification for retiring individuals easy and convenient. It has always been a traditional system wherein pensioners have to go to banks or pension offices and submit a life certificate physically. Senior citizens or elderly people find this most difficult due to problems related to health. This process was made easy with the introduction of the Digital Life Certificate, which became fruitful by applying technology for better efficiency and convenience.
This article is based on the concept of a Digital Life Certificate, its importance, the procedure followed to acquire one, and how this has affected the lives of pensioners in India. The step taken by the government with its zeal for digitization is indeed giant, which seems to be one for bringing transparency and ease to the pension disbursal system.
Introduction
India has a huge population of retirees who survive on pensions for their livelihood. To ensure that pensions are received by the correct people, pensioners are supposed to submit an annual life certificate, which authenticates their existence. This is a verification procedure that is critical in preventing false claims but was always a long-winded procedure involving physical submission.
The Digital Life Certificate, under the Digital India initiative, has now changed this whole scenario. It is called Jeevan Pramaan, through which a pensioner can create and submit a life certificate to the pension disbursement authority in an online way without visiting any department. With such an approach toward users, it ensures that pensions are paid to them without undue hardships.
What is a Digital Life Certificate?
A digital life certificate is a more modern electronic form of the traditional life certificate. This facility ensures proof of existence to pensioners who require continued benefits. The certificate is generated through the Jeevan Pramaan portal, which authenticates a pensioner’s biometric identity.
Important Features
- It is paperless and totally digital.
- Aadhaar-linked credentials for biometric-based verification.
- Available to clarify central, state, and other government pension schemes.
Objectives of the Digital Life Certificate
The primary objectives of the Digital Life Certificate initiative are as follows-
- Convenience to Pensioners- To make the process of submission of life certificates easy and convenient, particularly for the elderly and people residing in remote areas.
- Transparency- To Reduce errors and fraudulent claims related to disbursal of pensions through greater transparency and efficiency.
- Promoting digital governance- towards the Digital India mission by advocating the use of technology in the delivery of public services.
- Accessibility-Â This will make sure that the pensioners are able to send their life certificates from their homes or the nearest digital service centres.
Eligibility for a Digital Life Certificate
The Digital Life Certificate service is available to the following persons-
- Central government pensioners, state government pensioners, and public sector undertaking pensioners.
- Retired Employees receive pensions through banks or post offices.
- Aadhaar card-holding people whose Aadhaar is successfully linked to their pension account.
How to Get a Digital Life Certificate Online?
The application for a Digital Life Certificate is quite simple. Here are a few instructions for applying for this certificate-
- Prerequisites
An aadhaar number is registered with the pensioner’s bank account, Internet-enabled device and Biometric authentication device: fingerprint or iris scanner.
- Download Jeevan Pramaan App
The Jeevan Pramaan App can also be downloaded from the website at www.jeevanpramaan.gov.in or through any app store on your mobile phone.
- Register on Jeevan Pramaan Portal
After visiting the Jeevan Pramaan website or downloading the app, you have to register yourself, and you have to fill in the information like Aadhaar number, type of pension, pension disbursing agency, and bank details.
- Biometric Authentication
You have to now authenticate your identity through a biometric device. This step authenticates the existence of the pensioner and creates the Digital Life Certificate.
- Submission and Acknowledgment
The certificate is automatically sent to the pension disbursing agency. The Pensioners receive an acknowledgment through SMS or email, which contains the Pramaan ID-a unique identifier for the certificate.
Benefits of the Digital Life Certificate
- Ease for Pensioners- Many elderly people do not have to visit pension offices or banks, thereby saving the wear and tear on their bodies and health.
- Saves Time- It also saves lots of time. It is a fast process and usually takes just a few minutes.
- Access- It is accessible through online services, CSCs, and Jeevan Pramaan centres all over India, making it highly accessible.
- Minimized Error- The authenticity of Biometric ensures accuracy while reducing errors created due to manual submissions.
- Fraud Prevention- The system prevents fraudulent claims by being sure that only eligible pensioners receive benefits.
Challenges and Limitations
- Digital Literacy- Several rural pensioners were not able to afford the cost of digital knowledge or competencies in managing this system.
- Infrastructure- The infrastructure concerning access to biometric devices along with Internet accessibility remains a significant drawback for such locations.
- Dependence on Aadhaar- This being Aadhaar-based, it does bring difficulties if people are still left with Aadhaar without the link being established.
Impact of the Digital Life Certificate
The Digital Life Certificate has brought about a significant change in the lives of pensioners and the overall governance ecosystem-
- Improved Service Delivery- The automated system has made pension verification faster and more reliable.
- More transparency- Because it eliminates some manual processes, the system assures pensions to the appropriate recipients.
- Empowering Pensioners- The scheme has saved the pensioners from being dependent on others or mediators.
Conclusion
Digital Life Certificate is a revolutionary approach to the upliftment of the pensioners of India. The government has ensured that the process of submission of life certificates is made simpler so that pensioners may not face undue hurdles in availing of their rights.
With the evolution of the Digital India mission, Digital Life Certificate showcases the use of technology to provide improved public services and ensure more inclusivity. While digital literacy and infrastructure are among the pressing challenges, progress is being made towards addressing them for pensioners in general across the nation.
This effort also represents a milestone in governance by the government for its people as well as marks a yardstick for the process of digitization in governance.
ReferencesÂ
https://pib.gov.in/
